The World’s First Commercial Sand Battery Is Finland’s Productive Idea

Junior Chamber International Finland have selected the world’s first commercial sand battery as the Finnish innovation of 2023. The sand battery, developed in collaboration between Vatajankoski Oy and Polar Night Energy Oy, is used in Kankaanpää as a part of the local district heating network.

The sand battery, introduced at the beginning of last year, has attracted global interest, indicating the potential and relevance of this innovation. Successful commercialization has propelled the growth of the Tampere-based startup company Polar Night Energy and brought worldwide recognition.

The application of sand’s thermal energy storage capacity to the needs of the energy and process industries is a novel invention. Polar Night Energy began developing sand battery technology in the 2010s and established a pilot plant in Tampere. The commercial sand battery, capable of heating to over 500 degrees Celsius, in collaboration with Vatajankoski, represents the latest step in this innovation.

“The sand battery is heated using inexpensive wind and solar power. Its heating capacity is sufficient for daily heating of approximately 150 detached houses,” says Liisa Naskali, project manager at Polar Night Energy.

Tuottava Idea -kilpailun kilpailupäällikkö Päivi Tiura-Paavola, Microsoftin toimitusjohtaja Mervi Airaksinen, Vatajankosken toimitusjohtaja Pekka Passi ja Polar Night Energyn toimitusjohtaja Tommi Eronen. Kuva: Teemu Salo.

Winning Companies Featured on Times Square Billboard

The invention won the Productive Idea competition that was organized by the JCI Finland for the 46th time. Earlier this year, Junior Chamber International Kankaanpää, in collaboration with the city of Kankaanpää, selected the world’s first sand battery as Northern Satakunta’s Productive Idea, which led to its victory in the nationwide innovation category.

“It has been fantastic to collaborate with the city and local businesses. It’s great to see that we can be part of helping local businesses gain global recognition,” says Teemu Salo, responsible for the Productive Idea competition locally at JCI Kankaanpää.

Vatajankoski and Polar Night Energy will be honored at NASDAQ Helsinki’s Pörssitalo on Tuesday, October 31, where they will have the opportunity to ring the opening bell. Additionally, the winning companies will be featured on the billboards of New York’s Times Square.

The Sand Battery Has Brought Significant Visibility To Northern Satakunta

“Kankaanpää aims to act resource-wise, boldly, and solution-oriented. As the majority owner of Vatajankoski, Kankaanpää serves as a testing ground for future solutions that can be applied in other cities,” says Mika Hatanpää, the Mayor of Kankaanpää.

The success of the sand battery has been visible in the city of approximately 12,500 residents. Kankaanpää has gained visibility in places it could not have achieved on its own.

“The concept of sand battery by Vatajankoski and Polar Night Energy spread like wildfire around the world. A BBC film crew interviewed the company’s management, and afterwards, several foreign journalists visited the city. The city received visibility that we could hardly have purchased with money,” says Hatanpää.

The innovation has attracted visitors to Kankaanpää, even from as far as Asia. “Last autumn, on a regular workday, the production facility called to inform us that there is now a busload of foreign visitors here. It turned out that a delegation from Uzbekistan’s ministries had decided to visit and explore the sand battery without prior notice,” recalls Lauri Hölttä, production manager at Vatajankoski.